Sonja Alvarez, twenty-one years old, grew up moving from country to country. She studied in South Africa, Madagascar, and France. Her family is scattered all over the world. On Monday, she will set off on her round-the-world trip, a project she has been mulling over for about ten years.
With a mother who grew up on a sailboat, the travel gene is embedded in Sonja’s DNA.
From February 10 to June 1, 2020, she will set off for Costa Rica, then Australia, Bali, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia—seven countries in just over four months.
Her budget of 8,500 euros allowed her to buy round-the-world plane tickets for 3,550 euros. A round-the-world ticket is a set of airline tickets sold as a bundle to travel from one continent to another. Travel dates are often changeable at no cost (not the destinations). Sonja chose One World, which allows her to travel to the three zones she plans to visit.
Since she was sixteen, the young woman has taken on various odd jobs to save as much money as possible. “I don’t want help from my parents, I want to be independent and experience the struggles.”
After completing a baccalaureate in economic and social sciences, she specialized in tourism with a BTS at Paul Augier. She continued with a professional degree as a “Tour guide” at the University of Nice, at the Carlone campus. During this period, she had the opportunity to do several internships abroad. In September 2019, she became an entrepreneurial guide. She will resume her studies in the fall with a master’s degree in Aix-en-Provence.
To prepare for her trip, she planned three nights in Costa Rica, will rent a van with a friend in Australia, and will enjoy the Water Festival in Thailand. Apart from that, “I don’t know what I’m going to do, it’ll come with the encounters.” Without a set program, there are no constraints or obligations. “I’m more the type to get lost than to see tourist attractions.”
For several months, Sonja will go from youth hostel to youth hostel. “I’m not looking for comfort, but rather to take full advantage.” A 50-liter backpack, another 20-liter one, and her camera around her neck will be her travel companions.
While she is about to achieve one of her dreams, this is not her first attempt. “I’ve already traveled almost six months non-stop, alone and with a backpack. The hardest part is coming back to a classroom; you don’t have the same freedom.”
To discover the rest of her adventures, her travel journals will be published on the Nice Premium website.
